Stories for January 15, 2007

The days when the historic El Cortez towered over downtown San Diego are long gone, but that doesnt mean that residents of the building are happy with plans for a new condo tower right next door. El Cortez homeowners are suing the city to stop the project. The developer says opponents dont have any legal standing. Full Focus Reporter Amita Sharma has more.

Patrick Moore helped launch Greenpeace but left the group after 15 years. He is now a paid spokesman for some of the interests he used to rally against. Reporter Amita Sharma talks with Moore about his turnaround and environmentalism.

The death penalty continues to be a divisive issue. But one man whose death row sentence was commuted is now advocating for the end of the death penalty. Host Gloria Penner talks to Billy Neal Moore, who spent 17 years on Georgia's death row about the death penalty and the transformation that led to his freedom.

A prominent Tijuana business group has reestablished its relationship with the government. Business leaders say the government has shown results in fighting crime in the border region. KPBS Reporter Amy Isackson has the story.

The attorney generals office in Mexico sentenced a member of the Arellano Felix drug cartel to prison today. Federal prosecutors in Mexico also say theyre investigating two others for possible ties to the cartel, including a Tecate policeman. KPBS Reporter Amy Isackson has details.

San Diego County flower and avocado growers are bracing for another night of record cold. Eric Larson is the executive director of the San Diego County Farm Bureau. He says local growers will lose millions of dollars from damaged fruit and crops because of the cold snap. KPBS reporter Ed Joyce has the story.

An area congressman who advocates tighter border control, Duncan Hunter, is trying to counter reports that the well-publicized fence along the border with Mexico will cost tens of billions of dollars. Bob Costantini has details from Capitol Hill, where Hunter claims his numbers are much lower.

San Diegos 19th annual All Peoples Breakfast to honor Dr Martin Luther King featured San Diegans who are making a difference locally and across the world. They spoke of the underlying values of civil rights that promote peace and freedom. KPBS reporter Alison St John has more.

The team with the best record in professional football will not be going to the Superbowl this year. The San Diego Chargers were upset by the New England Patriots last night, 24-to-21. Charger fans are also upset. San Diegans don't get winning pro sports teams very often. But KPBS Radio's Andrew Phelps tells us the community might not take it too hard.

What would Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. say about San Diego's civil rights record. Today marks Dr. Kings 78th birthday and a local civil right's advocate says America's Finest City needs to be more engaged in helping people who are often left out. KPBS Anchor Dwane Brown spoke with Reverend Art Cribbs of Christian Fellowship United Church of Christ.

Everyone who knows anything about the history of American sports knows the story of Jackie Robinson, the man who broke the color barrier in Major League baseball. But every American sport has its own story of integration, and theres a long list of pioneering black athletes who suffered the sting of racism as they made their way in the early days of professional sports. We explore some of the untold stories of sports integration.

Decades ago, Martin Luther King, Jr. led the fight for equality for all Americans. As we honor his memory today, what is the status of that fight? Has Kings famous dream been realized on all fronts or are the answers different depending upon legal, social or economic perspectives? We seek answers from a former civil rights attorney, a SDSU sociology professor, and the president of the Unitarian Universalist Association.